


Maria Hill is Assigned to the Avengers

by celtic7irish



Series: It's All Up-Hill From Here [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 05:01:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12763716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celtic7irish/pseuds/celtic7irish
Summary: Following the events of The Avengers, Nick Fury decides the Avengers need a new handler, at least temporarily.  And Maria Hill is the woman for the job.





	Maria Hill is Assigned to the Avengers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heuradys](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heuradys/gifts).



> This is for Heuradys, for the Fandom Loves Puerto Rico auction! Thank you for bidding on me! Also, please be aware that now that I've started, I plan to write several snippets in this 'verse, but this first chapter sets the basis for the rest of it. I hope you like it, and I hope you enjoy what's written in the future!

Maria Hill stared blankly down at the folders in front of her, each one neatly labeled – and several inches thick.  Narrowing her eyes, she looked up at the man standing across the table from her.  “Why me?” she asked him.

 

Nick Fury leaned forward, his hands on the table, and gave her a shark’s grin.  “Because Phil is still in the process of dying, and the Avengers are like toddlers.  They need a new babysitter.”  He straightened up, moving his hands behind his back and standing at parade rest.  “That’s you.”

 

“I’m overqualified,” Maria countered archly.

 

Fury tipped his head to the side.  “I’ll give you a taser,” he offered.  “And permission to use it on Stark anytime you please.”

 

Maria paused, seriously considering the offer for a moment before shaking her head.  “Sorry, sir.  You’re going to have to do better than that.”  As much as she’d probably enjoy tasing Stark when he got unruly – which would take him all of five seconds, she was sure – that alone wasn’t enough incentive for her to put up with watching over a bunch of superheroes.  Thor alone was enough to give her a headache, and Hawkeye and Black Widow were both clever and insubordinate, which made for a really, really bad combination.  Banner turned into a giant raging green monster when he got angry, and Stark was, well, Stark.  The only one of them who might be worth trying to wrangle was Captain America.  And if half the intel SHIELD had on him was true, he’d probably smile and nod and agree with her orders, then turn around and do the exact opposite. 

 

Fury was eyeing her in consternation, though she was pretty sure she detected a hint of amusement underneath his scowl.  “You’re ambitious, Maria,” he said somberly.  “That’s why I like you.”  He steepled his hands in front of his mouth.  “Which is why I will make you a deal.  You take on the Avengers until Phil is back on his feet, and he will owe you a favor of his choosing.”

 

“Done,” Maria said quickly, before the Director could rethink the offer.  Nick Fury might be the head of SHIELD, but Phil Coulson was the one who got shit done.  And he really, really hated owing people favors.  Maria would enjoy taking her time deciding what she wanted from him, knowing how uncomfortable he’d be in the meantime.  It would serve him right for going off and getting himself nearly killed and dumping his pet team into her lap without so much as a by your leave.

 

Fury leaned back in his chair, satisfied.  “Thank you, Maria,” he said.  “You’re dismissed.”

 

“Sir.”  Maria nodded and turned sharply on her heels, trusting Fury to make sure her personal belongings were sent in short order.  She headed for the deck of the Helicarrier, ignoring the construction happening over the entire structure.  Between the damage done by Barton and his compatriots from the outside, and the Hulk on the inside, it was a miracle that the Helicarrier had stayed in the air long enough to make a passable landing on open water.

 

Stepping out onto the deck, Maria glanced around, then grabbed the nearest pilot who had enough stripes to not be a complete newbie.  “Stark Tower,” she ordered firmly.  “Now.”  The pilot blinked, but didn’t question her orders, and she smiled grimly.

 

Moments later, she was settled in the backseat of a helicopter, heading straight for New York.  Unclipping the phone from her belt, she took a deep breath before dialing.  The phone rang several times before there was a click and an annoyingly familiar voice spoke up.  “You have reached Stark Tower, residence of Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.  Leave your message – or don’t – and I might get back to you later.  And if this is a super-secret government agency, then I definitely won’t.  Bye now!”

 

Maria closed her eyes, already feeling a headache forming.  Squaring her shoulders, she dialed another number.  This time, she was greeted by a professional-sounding woman.  “Miss Virginia Potts, please,” she requested.  “Tell her Maria Hill is calling.  I’ll wait.”

 

Within five minutes, Maria had Pepper Potts’ promise that the Avengers – all of them – would be waiting for her at Stark Tower when she arrived.  She also promised that they’d be dressed and on their best behavior.  Maria thanked her and ended the call, satisfied.  Stark might not be worth the effort, but Phil had chosen his friends well; Pepper Potts was a force to be reckoned with, and as long as SHIELD stayed on her good side, they’d have a formidable ally on their side when it came to Avenger wrangling.

 

Sure enough, when she stepped off of the Deck of Stark Tower and into the building, the entire team was there, lounging or standing in a semi-circle.  There were a few additional people there, as well – Maria recognized Colonel James Rhodes and Pepper Potts, of course, but Jane Foster and her assistant were also there.  She hadn’t realized the astrophysicist was in New York.  Even Thor was there, recently returned from his trip back home to Asgard with his wayward brother.

 

Barton was there, glaring at her with dark circles under his eyes and a tight jaw.  Behind him sat Black Widow, who appeared far more composed, but Maria didn’t think for a moment that Romanov wasn’t watching her every move, ready to defend Barton if she made so much as an insinuation that he was being pulled from the roster.  Fortunately for them, Maria wasn’t here to arrest anyone.

 

“Until Agent Phil Coulson makes a full recovery, I will be your handler,” she stated without preamble, her hands clasped loosely behind her back as she stood at parade rest, waiting for the fallout. 

 

It took about ten seconds, but Stark was the first to speak.  “Ah ha! I knew it!  You all were using way too much power for a part of the Helicarrier that’s supposed to be still under construction,” he smirked.

 

Maria glared at him.  “Stark.  You will get your computer out of our systems.  Immediately.”

 

Clint had gone paler than a ghost, and he swallowed hard, glancing from Maria’s passive face to Romanov’s emotionless one.  Maria tipped her head at them. “I would apologize for dropping the news on you like this, but we actually expected to lose him.  He only stabilized enough yesterday afternoon for the doctors to believe he’ll eventually wake up.”

 

“Eventually?”  That was Steve, his tone caught somewhere between angry and hopeful.  “What kind of estimate is that?”

 

Maria glanced at him.  “We’re not dealing with a normal weapon, Captain Rogers,” she pointed out, very carefully ignoring the way Thor’s face fell at yet another reminder of the damage his brother had wrought.  “Every time we thought he was stabilizing, something else would go wrong.  We lost him a total of seven times before we found someone who could actually help.  So yes, eventually.”

 

Tony’s eyes were narrowed suspiciously.  “Help? Help from who?  And if you say Reed, that’s it, I’m done.”

 

Maria met his suspicion with a bland lack of emotion.  Stephen Strange was still an unknown factor, and until his status as either an ally or a potential problem could be determined, his existence was on a need-to-know basis.  Besides, the Sorcerer Supreme dealt in magic.  The Avengers were more the type of team that went in guns blazing.  No subtlety at all.

 

Tony grinned sharply, all teeth.  “You know I’ll find out,” he told her.  “Eventually.”

 

Maria felt a stir of amusement at that.  Always so confident, the Stark heir.  “Perhaps,” was all she said, watching Stark’s eyes light up at the challenge.  Excellent.  One down.  Barton and Romanov would fall into line once they’d had it out with Fury about Coulson still being alive.  Rogers was already starting to consider them his team, so as long as he was convinced that SHIELD had their best interests in mind, he’d follow orders as well.  Banner was an unknown, and Maria hated that she’d have to rely on Stark’s desire to have the other scientist here to keep the man from running again.  Thor was Thor; SHIELD had no control over him, given that he didn’t even live on Earth, but he seemed to genuinely like the other Avengers, and having the Asgardian on their side would probably come in handy in the future.

 

“Regardless, until Agent Coulson has made a full recovery, I will be your handler.  Missions will go through me.  If you have problems, you will come to me and I will see it taken care of.  If you need SHEID resources, I am authorized to give you access at my discretion.  I have also been authorized to take any measures I feel necessary to keep the Avengers functioning as a group.  Have I made myself clear?”

 

Pepper tipped her head.  “Tony is still the owner of Stark Industries,” she said, her tone brisk.  “I expect that his duties as an Avenger will not interfere with SI business.”

 

Maria smiled at her, her expression softening.  “While I cannot promise that the Avengers will not be needed during a board meeting, I can assure you that I will do everything possible to allow Mr. Stark to attend to Stark Industries business.”  Pepper nodded approvingly while Stark made a face behind her back.

 

Maria looked around the room, her eyes finally coming to rest on Baron and Romanov.  “I left the pilot outside. You will have to find your own way back,” she informed them crisply.  Before she was even finished, the two agents were up and heading for the deck.  Maria glanced over at Stark.  “I don’t suppose Jarvis is in Fury’s office,” she said almost wistfully.

 

Stark chuckled.  “Nope, but I’m pretty sure those two aren’t heading for Fury anyhow,” he said cheerfully, but Maria could see the approval in his eyes at her decision to let the agents see Coulson for themselves and confirm her story.  Coulson was going to owe her another favor.

 

She turned to the last person in the room.  “Colonel Rhodes, I’m aware that you serve as the liaison between Stark Industries and the United States military.  I trust that I can rely on your discretion?” she asked.

 

Rhodes grinned.  “If by discretion, you mean not telling the top brass that Iron Man is working for SHIELD, then not a problem.  My job mostly consists of maintaining friendly relations with Stark Industries for the purpose of military defense and technology contracts.”

 

“Aw, honeybunch,” Tony murmured sarcastically.  Rhodes grabbed him in a headlock, chuckling at his indignant squawk.

 

“Hey, pretty badass lady,” the dark-haired girl piped up.  Darcy Lewis, Jane’s assistant.  “What about us?”

 

Maria shifted, her hands coming to rest on her hips.  “Doctor Foster is free to continue her work here in New York,” she said, making a note to inform SHIELD of their current location.  Undoubtedly, Thor had returned to Earth and whisked away his lady love and her assistant.  The agents assigned to watch them were probably still scrambling to locate them.  “You may remain here with her.  SHIELD has  your credentials on file; if you are interested in working for the agency, I will make a recommendation to any of several departments.”

 

Lewis gave a low whistle.  “Wow, a pretty boss lady and a job offer.  I am so glad Jane hit you with her truck,” she told Thor.  The Asgardian Prince just nodded solemnly, breaking into a wide grin when Darcy tried to tackle him with an enthusiastic hug.

 

“I appreciate that you would take care of my Lady Jane and Lady Darcy,” he rumbled.  “I will do what I can to aid you and my shield brethren to protect their world.”  There was something almost sad in his expression, and Jane leaned against his side, a gesture of comfort.  Thor smiled at her, dropping a kiss on her forehead that made her nose wrinkle.

 

Maria turned to face the final member, the one that would decide whether or not the rest of the team accepted her as their handler.

 

Steve met her gaze seriously, then nodded decisively.  “Welcome to the Avengers, Deputy Hill,” he said formally. “I trust that we can rely on you and Director Fury until Agent Coulson is back among us.”  It wasn’t a question.

 

Maria nodded, and Tony clapped, moving towards their ragtag little group.

 

“Welcome to the Avengers.  Here’s hoping you live long enough to regret it.”


End file.
